Bokashi: A quick guide to indoor composting

Published on Mon Oct 29 2018 in Lifestyle

For avid gardeners, composting is a great way to “feed” plants, whilst keeping some kitchen food scraps out of the rubbish bin. It’s natural and good for the environment—just two great reasons to start a compost pile in your backyard!

However, this method might not work for everyone. Traditional composting takes up space, making it impractical for apartment dwellers or those with small gardens. It also requires a lot of plant waste (think leaves, brush or hay) to get started, something many people may not have. There are also types of kitchen waste that can’t be composted, such as meat, dairy and cooked foods.

Luckily, there is an alternative that could be the perfect substitute for those who are unable to go about it the traditional way—bokashi. 

What is bokashi?

Bokashi is a composting method from Japan. Essentially, kitchen scraps are layered in a special airtight bin with a microorganism spray or bran that ferments the matter. A small spigot at the bottom of bin is used to drain liquid every few days. After roughly two weeks, the bokashi scraps can be buried in soil or added to a compost pile where they finish decomposing.

This method can be an attractive option for people who are unable to do traditional composting, for a few reasons:

  • Bokashi bins don’t take up much space. Many bins hold about 12-16 litres and are less than half a metre tall. They can be placed under the sink, in the laundry or in a garage.
  • You can add most kitchen scraps to it. Bokashi can accept any type of food, including meat, fish, dairy, bones, pasta and even cooked foods. The fermenting process makes it the food less enticing to animals that would otherwise raid a compost heap.
  • It doesn’t have a terrible smell. Because bokashi is fermented in an airtight bin, it won’t leave a terrible odor throughout your house. When you do open the bin, you might notice a sweet and sour smell (a bit like pickles), but anything more foul means something has gone awry.

You may have noticed that bokashi scraps still need to be buried after fermenting. For people in apartments or with small backyards, this might be an issue. However, there are many ways to empty your bokashi bin:

  • Add it directly to potted houseplants
  • Give it to someone who does traditional composting
  • Share it with a friend who has a larger yard or more plants
  • Give it to a community or school garden

Getting started

Bokashi is a fairly easy and inexpensive process. You only need a few items to get started:

  • Bokashi bin – these can be purchased in garden shops or online
  • Bokashi bran or spray – to kick off the fermenting process
  • Potato smasher – or a similar utensil to press down scraps
  • Food scraps & some other household waste – keep reading to find out what you can bokashi!

Once you have your items, you’re ready to start. First, put a layer of scraps into the bin. Bokashi works best with smaller pieces, so you may want to break up larger bits of food before adding them to the bin.

Sprinkle bokashi bran (enough to coat it lightly) or give it a few sprays if you’re using the liquid variety. Then smash everything down to remove as much oxygen as possible. Add a bit more bran or spray, and then close the lid. You can also press a plastic bag on top of the food to help seal it off from the air.

Repeat this process once a day, adding in new kitchen scraps. Open the spigot every few days to drain off any liquid that’s collected. This can be poured down drains to help prevent clogs or diluted in water and added to plants.

When the bin is full, set it aside in your house, somewhere it’s out of direct sunlight. Keep draining any liquid every few days. In about two weeks everything should be thoroughly fermented and ready to bury.

Bokashi dos and don’ts

Learning how to bokashi can take some trial and error. Knowing a few dos and don’ts could help you master this method faster:

  • Do add any fresh food scraps to your bin – Including raw or cooked foods, fish & meat, cheese, eggs, breads and pastries, tea bags or coffee grounds.
  • Don’t add milk, juice or other liquids – These will just collect at the bottom and could cause bad odors.
  • Do add used tissues or paper towel – So long as they’ve not been used with chemicals!
  • Don’t add mouldy or rotten food – These could also create bad smells and stop the good microorganisms from doing their job.
  • Don’t add plastic or paper – These won’t break down properly. Try recycling them instead.
  • Do keep your bin closed – You want as little oxygen as possible to reach the waste. Try to only open the bin once a day to avoid exposure.
  • Don’t panic if you see some mould – White mould is a good sign; blue, black or green fuzzies are bad. If you’re seeing them or the bin smells foul, bury everything outside with extra bokashi bran or spray and start again.
  • Do clean your bin well after emptying – remember to run water through the spigot, too!

Happy gardening!

Bokashi is a composting alternative that could be a simple and easy alternative for people who cannot use more traditional methods. With just a few items, you can begin putting your rubbish to good use in the garden.

Growing herbs indoors is a great way to start gardening! Learn which plants are the easiest to grow in your kitchen. 

 

About Author: Momentum Life is a leading provider of Life insurance and Funeral insurance in New Zealand.


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